e-travel-to Paris - Tourist Attractions & Sights

Eiffel Tower ( Tour Eiffel )

The longest tower of Paris, which is the tower that no one leaves Paris without having a photograph taken in front of it and which is maybe one of the most important symbols of Europe, is an extremely esthetic building and also magnificent with a height of 324 meters and weight of 100 tones of iron.

The tower, which was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 for an international exhibition and temporarily set up also to symbolize the celebration of the 100th year of the French Revolution, at first was used as a radio antenna at that time after the invention of radio and later it was used as a TV antenna and it has become the most permanent symbol of Paris.

The tower, which kept the fame of being the longest building of the world until the New York Empire State Building was built in 1931, was built by using 2.5 million rivets. The tower that can be climbed up by 1665 steps from the base to the top has three main floors for the visitors. On the first floor there is the post office where you can find the touristic tower stamps, on the second floor there are the Jules Verne Restaurant which is famous with the very expensive but very delicious menus and gift stores, on the third and the last floor is the terrace from which you can watch an area of 72 km Paris view both at daytime and night especially in open air in pleasure. It is possible to climb up the tower either on foot by using the stairs or by the lift that has a capacity of 400 persons. We recommend you to take your place in front of the iron fences an hour before the sunset in order to be able to catch the most astonishing panorama of Paris.

There had occurred mad visitors among the approximately 12 million visitors each year who come to Visit the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) which was built in more than 26 months by 150 engineers and 1710 workers! A local tailor who used a cape as wings and jumped down the tower and lost his life in 1912 was one of them.

Champs Elysees Boulevard (Ave Des Champs Elysees)

Of course, the most famous boulevard that ends at this place is the Champs Elysees (Ave Des Champs Elysees) which shelters the shops of famous brands, musical cafes and restaurants that inspired many artists and is almost like the heart of entertainment and shopping. The boulevard was at first designed as the walk way for the queen in the middle of the 16th century, but later in 1667 it was reorganized as a broad road with trees on both sides by Andre Le Notre, and in 1840 it was known to be the triumphal way on which the funeral of Napoleon was carried. New arrangements were done through the end of the 19th century, the general appearance was changed by cafes and restaurants on the sides and today it is themost colorful of Paris with a worldwide fame.

Every year, Champs Elysees, which is decorated by marvelous ornaments right before the Christmas and is like a place for an open air party, witnesses the military parade every year on the 14th of July and greets the competitors of the bicycle race, Toru de France, held in July when they pass the finish line!

Etoile (Star) Place (Place de l’Etoile), also called the Charles de Gaulle Place(Charles de Gaulle Etoile) and has been popular for all times, is a star shaped place with 12 boulevards binding at the center where the one of the most important symbols of Paris the Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomphe) stands and it was built by the 17 years of work of a team including the Attorney, appointed by Napoleon the 3rd in 1853, Baron Hausmann and the best engineers and architects of the country

Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomphe)

The Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomphe) which stands at the beginning of the famous Champs Elysees of Paris in Charles de Gaulle Center (Charles de Gaulle Etoile), is a building that was realized by the command of Napoleon who came back home with a great victory from the War of Austerlitz in 1805 with his words “you will go back home under the arches of victory”.

After a year from the war, the arch designed by Jean Chalgrin and was started to be built, could not be finished until 1836 by the power of Napoleon’s power becoming weaker all around he country. On the two sides of the 50 meters high Arch, various figures from the wars at the period of Napoleon, ornaments and statues are animated and the Arch is covered with huge stone and war scenes. The body of the Unknown Soldier was buried in 1921 under the Arch for the memory of the ones lost their lives at the World War I.

The Arch of Victory, which is the center today for many national organizations such as ceremonials of war veterans, national celebrations and parades, also offers the visitors who can go up the star shaped view of the Charles de Gaulle Center that opens up to the 12 main boulevards and the Champs Elysees.

Notre- Dame Cathédral (Cathedrale de Notre- Dame de Paris)

It is a gothic architectural piece of art which is known at least by the popular image to be the place of the love of Quasimodo, the deformed ugly hunchback who rings the bells, for Esmeralda, the daughter of a gypsy who is as beautiful as a baby, and on the other hand which has witnessed the most important moments of the Paris history.

The Cathedral has been rebuilt by using the remainings of a church that was built on top of a temple from ancient Rome. The construction which started in 1163 ended in 1345. However, the weather conditions, the attacks, the war tragedies which were experienced through out years have roughed up the building. Especially after it has been damaged seriously during the French Revolution, it has been restorated in 1802. it has been the place of many events that effected the world history as well as the French history such as the crown ceremonial of Napoleon (1804), the funeral of the legendary French prime minister Charles De Gaulle (1970).

The cathedral got its name from a 14th century statue of Mother Mary and Saint Jesus brought from the St. Aignan Chapel (Notre- Dame de Paris/Our Lady Of Paris). The rose shaped window on the west side of the building which is above the three main entrances is a stained glass which is ornamented by red and blue colors. However, the most characteristic property of the Notre-Dame Cathedral is the gothic tower with a length of 90 meters that was added by architect Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century and the mystic animal statues located on the towers.

In addition, we highly recommend to the ones who will visit the Cathedral to climb up the tower which will offer you a marvelous Paris view after climbing up the 380 step stairs and to take a walk in the garden on the east side and on the side of the river in the south side.

Louvre Museum (Musee du Louvre)

Louvre, whose history goes back to the medieval times, was built as a castle by King Philippe-Auguste in 1190 against the attacks of the Vikings and later on during Renessaiance period it has been restorated by François I, then has been improved and expanded by every king during the emperorship of 400 years. It was opened to public as a museum for the first time in 1793 at the first Republic period. Modifications went on until 1998. The entrance of the museum is right behind the Arch of Triumph which is accepted as one of the symbols of Paris.

Just below the entrance are the galleries for periodical exhibitions for visitors, shops, parks and necessity points in the area that was completed in 1993. he modern styled glass pyramid which is located in the middle of the courtyard by architect I.M. Pei in 1989 gives the visitors the chance to watch the other buildings around the courtyard and also to visit the information desks to gather information about the museum in a relieved area by the help of the sunlight that comes in through the glass.

Some of the points about the museum attracting attention are: the huge columns built in the 17th century in the east side (Perrault’s Colonade) and the medieval ditches in the basis of the twin towers left from the King Phillippe-Auguste period.

However the first thing that comes to mind when we think about the Louvre Museum is Leonardo Da Vinci and his unforgettable painting Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa, which has long queues in front of it and that is claimed to have a different impression on her face each time looked at her, has a significant importance among all the 12 work of arts of Da Vinci in the museum. Of course for those who are tired of waiting at the queue the work of arts of other famous artists, who have contributed to the centuries, are on the walls of the long halls and wide saloons of the museum.

Orsay Museum (Musee d’Orsay)

Once it was a train station built by architect Victor Laloux in 1900, but later the Orsay Station became an abandoned and forgotten ghost building and in 1986 it was restorated as a museum and became the host of work of arts of famous names as photographs, paintings and statues which would attract the attention of art lovers. In the museum where the works of famous names as Degas, Manet, Renoir and Matisse dated from 1848 to 1914, it is possible to find the famous works of Daumier and other sculptors’ and also attention attracting 55 thousand printings and works of early period photography.

The thematic exhibitions organized by the company of little booklets prepared by professionals attract thousands of art lovers to the steel sided iron building every year. There are paintings which are samples of the pre-1870 trend, statues in the galleries along the deep corridor lying in the center at the entrance of the Orsay Museum (Musee d’Orsay) which has three floors. The middle floor is an Art Nouveau saloon that has the Lalique jewelry and hand made glass exhibitions. Besides, there are valuable samples of decorative art and architecture in the middle floor. The last floor is entertains the visitors with the impressionists’ paintings.

Montmartre Hill (Butte de Montmartre)

The name of the Montmarte Hill (Butte de Montmartre), which has been the house of both local and international artists since the beginning of the 19th century, is chosen for the memoirs of the “martyrs” who had lost their lives at a war centuries ago according to a rumor.

On the hill, that has the best bird’s-eye views of Paris; street artists present an open air festival to the visitors by their work and shows of paintings, drawings, statues, ceramics, mimes etc. from early in the morning until late in the evening.

Montmartre is a region that should not be left without having seen with museums, exhibition centers (Montmartre Museum /Musee de Montmartre, Max Fourny Authentic Art Museum /Musee d’Art Naif Max Fourny etc.), Sacre-Coeur Basilica which is famous worldwide (Basilique du Sacre-Coeur).

Montmartre, is not only famous in terms of art and architecture but also famous with clubs, chirping and twittering nights and cabarets. For example; if you ever have a chance to visit the region, you should better visit the Moulin Rouge night club which has dazzling shows and authentic atmosphere at night.

Sacre-Coeur Basilica (Basilique Du Sacre-Coeur)

The Sacre-Coeur Basilica that is located at the very end of Montmartre Hill (Butte de Montmartre), is one of the most important Catholic churches of today which was started to be built after the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 and was finished in 1914. The basilica, which can be climbed up either by walking to the top if the hill or taking the funicular railway from the gardens on the sides of the hill to the entrance, is impressive in a calm atmosphere by the saint statues inside especially by the Virgin Mary and Child made by Brunet in 1896. However, the most impressive surprise of the place is the marvelous Paris panorama that can be seen from the huge medieval Dome which can be climbed up by a spiral stairs with 234 steps.

Rodin Museum (Musee Rodin)

The hotel Biron, in which the worldwide famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin lived and produced all his works of art from 1908 until his death in 1917, has been turned into a museum where the all work is being exhibited. The hotel, with the architecture of the mid-18th century, had hosted famous names of Literature and Dance such as Cocteau, Isadora Duncan at the beginning of the 19th century and Rodin was one of them. The State bought the hotel in 1905, the sculptor agreed to inherit all his work to the State by the condition of being exhibited when he rented the ground floor.

The work of Rodin, after two years after his death when the museum was opened, such as The Gates Of Hell, Burghers Of Calais, The Thinker (Le Penseur), and bronze, plaster, wax, mud statues of Balzac, Victor Hugo, ceramics, paintings, drawings and etc. are open to the visits of art lovers. It is possible to see the most of the statues in the garden decorated with around 2 thousand roses. The works of the artist can bee seen in a chronological order in the museum.

Georges Pompidou National Art and Culture Center

(Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou)

It is one of the most important centers located at the heart of Paris by being the place for all branches of modern art from paintings to music, theaters to literature. This modern building, the frame and the sides formed by belts, lifts and pipes, the outer covered by metal and built by the winners of international competition of art, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogerier, by the Minister Georges Pompidou in 1977, was shut down when it was tired of the intensity of visitors in 1997. An area of 78 thousand square meters was repaired and new parts were added during more than three years by spending one billion Francs and it was opened again for art lovers.

Besides permanent exhibitions of works of the leaders of cubism, surrealism such as Matisse, Picasso, Miro and Pollock, there is a modern art library spread on three floors. On the entrance and the 6th floor it is always possible to see one of the periodical exhibitions and it is possible to watch shows of street artists at the area in front of the building. In addition, the view of the city from different floors of the building and from the lifts is also interesting. The center, which has been visited by more than 150 million art lovers since 1977, is visited by 7 million art lovers every year.

Palace of Versailles (Chateau de Versailles)

If the time you have to discover Paris is more than a few days do not leave the city without seeing the Palace of Versailles (Chateau de Versailles), at a 30 minutes distance to the city by train. Palace of Versailles is one of the most impressive museums of Europe both with its interior and exterior structure of architecture and also for the famous gardens.

While it was a modest stone building that was built in 1623 and was used at the times of hunting by Louis the 13th, when his son Louis the 14th asked the architecture Louis Le Vau to restorate the building in 1668 it became the biggest palace of Europe with 20 thousand living and working in it. Architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart built up the south and north wings and gave the first building, of which the interior was mostly finished by architect Charles Le Brun, gave a baroque royal chapel style (Chapelle Royale), in 1770 he added the opera house (the new castle) which witnessed the marriage ceremony of the Louis the 16th and Marie Antoinette.

Some of the parts of the palace that are worth seeing are; the rooms belonging to the kings and queens around the marble floor (Louis the 14th died here in 1715), the Apollon Salon (Salon D’Apollon) which was dedicated to the mythological God Apollon who had a great effect on the name “The Victory of the Sun Kingdom” given to the palace. Of course without any doubt, the most crucial point of the tour in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors which is 70 meters long and has 17 huge mirrors that reflect the sunlight coming in from the tall windows. Versaille Palace is will give you more than you expect if you spare a day and be patient at the long queue at the entrance of the Palace.

Gardens of Versailles (Jardins du Versailles)

The large gardens surrounding the palace are also as popular places in Europe as the palace itself. Gardens of Versailles (Jardins du Versailles), which were designed by Andre Le Notre are satisfactory with the design, the lakes, the flower beds and statues. The bronze statue right in front of the palace, the circular water channels built by the architect Mansart, the Great Channel (Grand Canal) that host the rowboat parties of Louis the 14th are just a few examples of the works of art. There are also two little palaces in the garden. The first one is the Grand Trianon which was built by Mansart in 1687 for Louis the 14th and his mistress Madame de Maintenon from stones and pink marble. The second one is the Petit Trianon built in 1762 for the mistress of Louis the 15th, Madame de Pompadour. This building later on became the most favorite place of Marie Antoinette.